1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a proportional brake light display system that is carried by a motor vehicle to provide a highly visible warning signal to indicate whether and how quickly the vehicle is likely to stop in response to foot pressure being applied by the operator to the brake pedal shoe of the vehicle. In this way, motorists following from behind will be alerted to a rapid deceleration of the vehicle so as to have additional reaction time, whereby appropriate action might be taken to better avoid a rear end collision.
2. Background Art
All motor vehicles on the road today have some form of visible brake lights that arc illuminated in response to the operator pressing his foot against the brake pedal of the vehicle. Such brake lights form a digital display to alert motorists following from behind whether the lead vehicle is decelerating. That is to say, the digital brake light display is either turned entirely off when no foot pressure is applied to the brake pedal or turned entirely on when at least some foot pressure is otherwise being applied to the brake pedal.
In this regard, the conventional brake lights of a motor vehicle provide no indication as to precisely how much foot pressure is applied to the brake pedal and how rapidly the vehicle is likely to stop. Consequently, a motorist following from behind will be unable to ascertain whether the lead vehicle is making a sudden stop or merely undergoing a gradual slowing. As a result of seeing the illumination of the brake lights of the lead vehicle, the operator of the vehicle following from behind may unnecessarily apply too much pressure to his own brake pedal or fail to apply sufficient brake pressure in what may turn out to be an emergency situation. In either case, the inability of the operator of the trailing vehicle to be able to quickly recognize the extent to which the lead vehicle is decelerating may lead to an accident.
Brake light warning systems are known by which lights from a display are illuminated depending upon the pressure that is applied by the operator to his brake pedal. However, some of these warning systems are characterized by many components and a correspondingly high manufacturing cost. Other warning systems are relatively complex and/or may not provide an instantaneous and accurate indication as to the deceleration of the vehicle in which it is used. Examples of known brake light warning systems such as those described above are available by referring to one or more of the following United State patents:
5,150,098RakowSep. 22, 19925,717,377GaoFeb.10, 19986,002,329MarksDec. 14, 19996,100,799FenkAug. 8, 20006,268,792NewtonJul. 31, 20016,317,038Leleve et alNov. 13, 20016,333,688Brown et alDec. 25, 2001